So what is the union actually doing??

[Martin Walsh]

Look if this board is going to have any role in the future campaign then is it not time that posters started looking at the facts.

The reason why the briefing is only 3 hours is not to really have an indepth debate about everything as we had that in Northampton in October. The fact is the Hooper report shouldt be of any real surprise as the Joint venture propsal was in the intial reponse by Hooper back in May.

The briefing is really the opportunity to launch a major politcal and industiral campaign and as a briefing does not allow for any ammendments to the policy then it will only be the Postal exective decision on the policy for the camapign.

There is simply no time to lose we can defeat the joint venture stuff as we now have the support of compass the leading labour group of MPs who are listen too by Brown and co. What we in the Divsions and Branchs have got to do is assist in the public and membership campaign to defeat the plans.

Remember snipes at the union my make you feel good and in cases can be justified but the only people who can stop this is the CWU. Unite have cautiously welcomed the report. Remember if TNT do take over the processing network. Whos to say how many mail centres will close . Remember TNT already own over 12 supersize state of the art mail centres which they could use and close others mail centres down. Moreover the CWU do not have recgnition rights with TNT .

Look I have been more vocal then most at briefings and conference over the lack of activity on pensions etc and to disaffilate from the labour party. But the fact is that unless we all pull in the right direction quicky and united then we will lose this fight. If we do so this industry and the union will be finished.

The other part of the briefing is to make sure we defeat Royal Mail`s slash and burn policy of so called modernisation and part of that policy will be for every office in the country to refuse to give up any savings. This will include not agreeing to peagsus or anyother iniative. That will create the right enviorment to reach the right national agreement which safeguards full time job, achieves the SWW and other benefits. Of course this means offices and Branch`s need to show some backbone and not agree to things like peagsus or savings.

Now thats what the briefing is for and i look out for further petty and unconstrucive comments which move the CWU and our membership nowhere.

I

[dvbuk55]

"Moreover the CWU do not have recgnition rights with TNT ."

Well that in itself tells a tale!

As for petty and nonconstructive comments - I wouldn't think anyone on this forum considers the problems we face are petty and no one on this forum has been unaware of the problems for the last two years and have called for action repeatedly and called for a more communicative approach to the membership so this 11th hour stand is a little too rich for my blood - I've been a member of a union for nigh on 40 years and I have never seen such self serving as I have seen in the last few years - if that is "nonconstructive" then it is intended to galvanise REAL activists into radical action not add to the ever increasing rhetoric.

[BB brother]

Look if this board is going to have any role in the future campaign then is it not time that posters started looking at the facts.

The reason why the briefing is only 3 hours is not to really have an indepth debate about everything as we had that in Northampton in October. The fact is the Hooper report shouldt be of any real surprise as the Joint venture propsal was in the intial reponse by Hooper back in May.

The briefing is really the opportunity to launch a major politcal and industiral campaign and as a briefing does not allow for any ammendments to the policy then it will only be the Postal exective decision on the policy for the camapign.

There is simply no time to lose we can defeat the joint venture stuff as we now have the support of compass the leading labour group of MPs who are listen too by Brown and co. What we in the Divsions and Branchs have got to do is assist in the public and membership campaign to defeat the plans.

Remember snipes at the union my make you feel good and in cases can be justified but the only people who can stop this is the CWU. Unite have cautiously welcomed the report. Remember if TNT do take over the processing network. Whos to say how many mail centres will close . Remember TNT already own over 12 supersize state of the art mail centres which they could use and close others mail centres down. Moreover the CWU do not have recgnition rights with TNT .

Look I have been more vocal then most at briefings and conference over the lack of activity on pensions etc and to disaffilate from the labour party. But the fact is that unless we all pull in the right direction quicky and united then we will lose this fight. If we do so this industry and the union will be finished.

The other part of the briefing is to make sure we defeat Royal Mail`s slash and burn policy of so called modernisation and part of that policy will be for every office in the country to refuse to give up any savings. This will include not agreeing to peagsus or anyother iniative. That will create the right enviorment to reach the right national agreement which safeguards full time job, achieves the SWW and other benefits. Of course this means offices and Branch`s need to show some backbone and not agree to things like peagsus or savings.

Now thats what the briefing is for and i look out for further petty and unconstrucive comments which move the CWU and our membership nowhere.

I

Its ok comin on here gobbin off dingo about petty comments and people gettin thier facts straight but you cant blame them when very little is comin down from HQ.
Our comms are awful.Im a local rep and have had nothin of substance on the major issues for months now.I tell a lie ! i am absolutely clued up to the hilt on RM footwear at the mo !

Your comments seem slightly dispareging also to this site and what it does.(i apologize if i am incorrect in this).
But id like to take this oppertunity to both defend and thank it .During the recent trouble and disputes this site has been an absolute godsend and has kept me up to date a lot bettrer than any other form of comms.

Many thanks to everyone connected with this site.

[DGP1]

Look if this board is going to have any role in the future campaign then is it not time that posters started looking at the facts.

The reason why the briefing is only 3 hours is not to really have an indepth debate about everything as we had that in Northampton in October. The fact is the Hooper report shouldt be of any real surprise as the Joint venture propsal was in the intial reponse by Hooper back in May.

The briefing is really the opportunity to launch a major politcal and industiral campaign and as a briefing does not allow for any ammendments to the policy then it will only be the Postal exective decision on the policy for the camapign.

There is simply no time to lose we can defeat the joint venture stuff as we now have the support of compass the leading labour group of MPs who are listen too by Brown and co. What we in the Divsions and Branchs have got to do is assist in the public and membership campaign to defeat the plans.

Remember snipes at the union my make you feel good and in cases can be justified but the only people who can stop this is the CWU. Unite have cautiously welcomed the report. Remember if TNT do take over the processing network. Whos to say how many mail centres will close . Remember TNT already own over 12 supersize state of the art mail centres which they could use and close others mail centres down. Moreover the CWU do not have recgnition rights with TNT .

Look I have been more vocal then most at briefings and conference over the lack of activity on pensions etc and to disaffilate from the labour party. But the fact is that unless we all pull in the right direction quicky and united then we will lose this fight. If we do so this industry and the union will be finished.

The other part of the briefing is to make sure we defeat Royal Mail`s slash and burn policy of so called modernisation and part of that policy will be for every office in the country to refuse to give up any savings. This will include not agreeing to peagsus or anyother iniative. That will create the right enviorment to reach the right national agreement which safeguards full time job, achieves the SWW and other benefits. Of course this means offices and Branch`s need to show some backbone and not agree to things like peagsus or savings.

Now thats what the briefing is for and i look out for further petty and unconstrucive comments which move the CWU and our membership nowhere.

I

Its ok comin on here gobbin off dingo about petty comments and people gettin thier facts straight but you cant blame them when very little is comin down from HQ.
Our comms are awful.Im a local rep and have had nothin of substance on the major issues for months now.I tell a lie ! i am absolutely clued up to the hilt on RM footwear at the mo !

Your comments seem slightly dispareging also to this site and what it does.(i apologize if i am incorrect in this).
But id like to take this oppertunity to both defend and thank it .During the recent trouble and disputes this site has been an absolute godsend and has kept me up to date a lot bettrer than any other form of comms.

Many thanks to everyone connected with this site.

[Martin Walsh]

Listen I was not criticising RMC it provides a good vechile for members to recieve information and share and give their views.

Neither was I defending CWU HQs. If you read my post you will see I believe the CWU HQs have dithered and have not communicated well. Now I have on behalf of the members I represented put this view forward at the two northampton briefing last year at Feb and in October and at our Annual Conference.

But lets get this right at Northmapton last febraury the vast majortity of Branchs didt want to go out to an industrial action ballot over pensions straight away. They wanted to run the consultation ballot.

In addition in Northampton in October apart from one divsion of the country the majority of Branchs wanted to wait until Hooper was published before they launched a campaign. Hence the Briefing next thursday.

With regards to the lack of comms from Headquaters I do believe that its been appealing a stop start campagin. However what I have to ask is that Branch`s and Divisions/Regions also have a responsibility to put comms out. Why is London and the North East have put out a number of comms on issues but others havnt. How comms some Branch`s like plymouth can produce good up to date comms to inform members of whats going on but others cant.

Remember Branch`s recieve a rebate each month to organise and communicate with the membership. Branch`s recieve information either from CWU HQs or at Regional and Divisional meetings or conference calls. If Branchs do not pass that informantion onto members then they are failing in their repsonsiblity just as much as headquaters.

Remember this union has argued against to much centralisiation and that the power should remain in the branchs. Now I am no supporter of CWU Headquaters and the lack of a sustain public and membership campagin. But in the Division I come from we dont wait for a letter from CWU to start a campaign we do it ourselves as do others. Now in the past some have said our Branch is to small to do this well I have to say then if it cannot provide the support and comms the members need then maybe it needs to be merged with another Branch to enable it to.

Now in terms of the Industrial issues and pegasus and whos thought it is we are in such a mess. Well for one every Branch supported a motion a couple of years ago not to do a pegasus revision until their was a national agreement yet we now have the vast majority of the country who have perfomed pegasus revisions and no most of those offices now want a national agreement. The fact is that Royal Mail now believe they do not need a national agreement on this more over a significant amount of offices have now moved the delivery spec to over 4 hours against the national unions advise. Guess what Royal mail do not think they need a national agreement to change the spec .

Look I come from a division which is often critical of CWU HQs but instead of just moaning we actually do something constructive about it by communicatiing with the members we reprsent and not wait for headquaters. But we also carry policies which mean we dont give up any savings and we dont agree to peagsus or a change to the delivery spec. We support each other as unity is strength.

Now thats why Thursday briefing is important we can all whinge and moan but its time for doing and time for action. Now why dont we get more posts like well I lobbied my branch secretary or my branch committee or Branch AGM to start a campaign on defeating the worst aspects of the hooper report and start saying no to any further savings and no to peagsus.

A lot on here have some good points but remember there are only a small amount of overall members of the postal side of the union on here. If you have got a gripe or a point to make you should make that point to your branch so they can feed that to the Branch meeting and if neccessary to cwu headquaters.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Look if this board is going to have any role in the future campaign then is it not time that posters started looking at the facts.

Now thats what the briefing is for and i look out for further petty and unconstrucive comments which move the CWU and our membership nowhere.

Can I just say that as a member of RMC and the Union I think you have got the wrong of the stick about this Board. We are independent of the Union and Royal mail, in fact we even warn users of that on every page, check the bottom of the page just above the number of hits. So while I applaud your statements as a member of the CWU, and in fact do my bit with my branch, I must say that this board as an entity will most likely have no "official" role in any future campaign of the CWU or Unite.

Of course members wishing to either support or not support the Unions campaign can of course use this board to communicate and disseminate information and tactics this is the reason why POSTMAN set it up, but I would be very surprised if RMC took up any formal position on any subject or campaign.

[BB brother]

TBT's more or less hit the nail on the head there dingo.Although this site may lean heavily to the left it isnt a CWU forum.
But it is a forum.
I completely understand what your saying about negative comments.I face them every day as a Rep and its extremely frustrating when you know that you and many others are fighting 110% on thier behalf.But comments are what this forum is all about.
From your post its apparent that you care passionatly about the Union and its members and i hope you keep up the good work you are doing.

Right ! Im off to checkout my FHM email and eat like a pig.Have a good weekend all !

[dvbuk55]

Good leadership comes from the front. I accept that there are areas who have a good union network but few and far between. In my experience there is too much self serving and too little membership serving, we pay our dues and should get the best there is - however what we tend to get is a succession of people who use the CWU as a personal vehicle and those who are genuine tend not to have the "experience", to put it kindly, to carry the day. Perhaps I'm too old and cynical but I surely feel that my interests have not been best served in the last few years and that a great deal more could have been done to organise at a national level before we got to this situation.

[Big Daz]

Im a rep in a delivery office and recently my ADR sent a communcation out to the reps as he does a unit reps update virtually every week by hard paper copy to keep us all in the frame.

This update was about pegasus and contained info that I found very intriguing that being that CWU HQ had tried for a aggrement on pegasus and RMl knocked them back. Hq instructed the branches and their Area Delivery reps to try and get area aggrements based on the aggrement CWU put to RML. I imagine the reason for this was that by getting lots of area aggrements that matched CWU HQ policy which RM at national level rejected would then force RM to adopt the CWU position as they would be severly undermined by their own area/cluster manangers.

I think is very clear to see that all the aggrements on pegasus that are springing up all over the country are happening because CWU HQ instructed the branches and the area delivery reps to reach these aggrements.

[DGP1]

Im a rep in a delivery office and recently my ADR sent a communcation out to the reps as he does a unit reps update virtually every week by hard paper copy to keep us all in the frame.

This update was about pegasus and contained info that I found very intriguing that being that CWU HQ had tried for a aggrement on pegasus and RMl knocked them back. Hq instructed the branches and their Area Delivery reps to try and get area aggrements based on the aggrement CWU put to RML. I imagine the reason for this was that by getting lots of area aggrements that matched CWU HQ policy which RM at national level rejected would then force RM to adopt the CWU position as they would be severly undermined by their own area/cluster manangers.

I think is very clear to see that all the aggrements on pegasus that are springing up all over the country are happening because CWU HQ instructed the branches and the area delivery reps to reach these aggrements.

What is this agreement?

[dvbuk55]

Im a rep in a delivery office and recently my ADR sent a communcation out to the reps as he does a unit reps update virtually every week by hard paper copy to keep us all in the frame.

This update was about pegasus and contained info that I found very intriguing that being that CWU HQ had tried for a aggrement on pegasus and RMl knocked them back. Hq instructed the branches and their Area Delivery reps to try and get area aggrements based on the aggrement CWU put to RML. I imagine the reason for this was that by getting lots of area aggrements that matched CWU HQ policy which RM at national level rejected would then force RM to adopt the CWU position as they would be severly undermined by their own area/cluster manangers.

I think is very clear to see that all the aggrements on pegasus that are springing up all over the country are happening because CWU HQ instructed the branches and the area delivery reps to reach these aggrements.

What is this agreement?

More to the point what is CWU HQ Policy? The union could learn a lot from RMs WTL because the propaganda is spread on a weekly basis whether it be true or false and the response is either non-existant or too little too late. A good rep would post all details of all meetings however mundane weekly at a minimum. It just seems to me that the CWU do not want to rock the boat for any reason whatsoever.

[Martin Walsh]

Big Daz I think what CWU HQs was asking was Branch`s to get an agreement on 2.4 mph walking speed in light of the media stuff regarding this. At no point has anyone at HQs level asked branch`s to reach an agreement on peagsus.

The request was because Mick Stockdale Royal Mails head of stratagy for deliveries came out and said to the media that Royal Mail didt plan walks at 4mph but 2.4. Hence the request for branch`s to secure an agreement on that speed. My understanding and unsurpisly is that no cwu branch has managed to reach an 2.4 mph agreement.

[Big Daz]

I stand by my post,the area aggrement in my patch was made in 2007 and still stands to this day.

The info in my post is the info i was provided with by my ADR and Im telling you he is 100% correct there is more chance of me being Lucy Pinder in disguise than my ADR being wrong!!!!!!!

[Big Daz]

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The area aggrement is based on the terms of reference but is superior to the TOR. The aggrement was actually made by two ADR's and covers two postcode/CWU branch areas, this I imagine is due to RM management structure for senior delivery managers. RM have a manager which is delivery lead for two postcode areas which is covered by two seperate but neighbouring CWU branches. On that basis the branches joined forces.

I was speaking to my ADR wednesday and he confirmed the info that was sent out that being CWU wanted the branches to reach local/area aggrement on the proposed aggrement RM HQ turned down.

A 2 day pegasus training course was delivered for reps and mangers as well on the pegasus computer program as well as the aggrement.

This enabled reps and their dom's to get the same info at the same time as each other.

[Big Daz]

Good post in that you critcise the powers that be but crucially you explain why.

Based on the situation in your office I understand your deep rooted sense of anger towards the CWU powers that be.

What would you have liked the CWU to have done diferently or do what was not done in your office?

If RM dont break employment law what can the CWU do?